THE RESOURCEFUL TRAVELER.

California Guides

February 13, 2000|By June Sawyers./Special to the Tribune.

PICK OF THE WEEK

"The Mad Monks' Guide to California"

(Frommer's, $19.95)

"We listen to the locals, we visit their favorite spots, we visit others we discover on our own, and we select those that we consider the most significant." Thus speak the Monks, a.k.a. James Crotty and Michael Lane. Last time we met up with this daffy duo they were talking up the quirky sites of New York City. Now they have set their eyes westward toward the Golden State, and in typical monkish fashion have come up with yet another totally irreverent and giddy guide. The monks divide the book into eight regions: San Francisco, the North Coast (including Marin County), the Mountains (including the High Sierras), the Deserts, the Central Valley, the Central Coast, Los Angeles and San Diego. Like other guidebook writers they include descriptions of notable hotels, restaurants and landmarks in each region; but that's where the resemblance ends, for the monks have this built-in radar that homes in on the most unusual, the most unpredictable sites around. If it's quirky, they'll be sure to find it, whether it's the Elysium Fields nudist colony in Los Angeles or the Museum of Death in San Diego. They also offer 33 reasons why they love L.A.: "L.A. is wacky" (more goofy museums here than anywhere else, including one devoted exclusively to bananas); "parking is rarely, if ever, a problem" (with the exception of West Hollywood and Beverly Hills); and "even in the so-called ghetto, the standard of living is higher than in almost any other American city" (with cheaper rents, too). The book contains numerous interviews with famous and not-so-famous Californians, including Oakland Mayor and ex-Gov. Jerry Brown and San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown. And who else but the monks would interview Elmer Zimmerman, a retired logger and curator of the Lumber Town Museum in downtown Weed, in northern California ("How many men would be involved in the falling of a tree?" they ask). Deliciously demented.

Opinionated, fair and tough-minded, the Best Places series started 25 years ago with its Northwest guide. Now the editorial team of a dozen travel journalists has turned collective attention to Southern California. Restaurants and lodgings are rated on a scale of one to four stars, based on uniqueness, quality of food, value, professionalism and more. The descriptions are lengthy and more than candid. With Best Places, you know exactly where you stand. And with more than the top 1,000 restaurants and lodgings listed, there is plenty to choose from. Each chapter features a description of the region and a quick-reference, three-day itinerary for those travelers with too little time on their hands.

VOCATIONAL TRAVEL

"So, You Want to Join the Peace Corps . . ."

(Ten Speed Press, $12.95)

This straightforward question-and-answer book, subtitled "What to Know Before You Go," offers the straight dope on what to expect from the Peace Corps, written by someone who served as an agro-forestry volunteer in a small village in Cameroon, West Africa. Author Dillon Banerjee provides the answers to such questions as: What is the application process like? How long does it take? Am I qualified to join the Peace Corps? Will I be lonely? He also offers suggestions on how to pack for a two-year trip, managing your money and living like the locals. Probably the most crucial question is asked in the section headed Is There Life After the Peace Corps?: Does the Peace Corps look good on a resume? (The answer, by the way, is an unqualified yes.) The appendices are full of solid facts and statistics. Here you will find background material on the Peace Corps as well as descriptions of Peace Corps programs and requirements and even student-loan information. Statistics are also included, such as the number of Peace Corps volunteers (6,700), the number of countries served (80), and a breakdown by gender (60 percent female, 40 percent male). (510-559-1600)

HEALTHY TRAVEL

"Yoga Vacations: A Guide to International Yoga Retreats"

(John Muir, $16.95)

Author Annalisa Cunningham has been a certified hatha yoga instructor for more than 15 years and a certified massage therapist for 20 or so years. She has an M.A. in counseling and organizes yoga vacations and retreats in the U.S. and Mexico. In other words, she boasts an impressive set of credentials. The book contains detailed descriptions of the best yoga retreats and programs in the U.S. and abroad, information on teaching styles and philosophies, rates, accommodations and meals, recommendations on which retreats are suitable for your level of experience, as well as a sample daily schedule and other nearby activities. Cunningham separates the sites into those that are strictly retreats, that is, places for quiet reflection and study, and those that offer genuine vacation settings, which allow time for shopping and sightseeing.

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Contact Resourceful Traveler in care of Toni Stroud at tstroud@tribune.com.